Scanner, installing

To install a scanner make sure that the scanner you are using is supported by FreeBSD.

I'm going to use a HP Scanjet 6200C because it's supported and that's what I have laying around.

Connect your scanner to the USB and type the following commands.

# cd /dev
# chmod 0660 uscanner0
# chgrp operator uscanner0
# pw groupmod operator -m <user>

sane (text access to scanner)

Install through packages

# pkg_add -r sane-frontends
# pkg_add -r sane-backends

Find your scanner, this doesn't mean that it will work though:

# sane-find-scanner -q
found USB scanner (vendor=0x03f0, product=0x0201) at /dev/uscanner0

To scan a test page type the following (replacing hp with your scanner brand).

# scanimage -d hp:/dev/uscanner0 > /tmp/image.pnm

To allow for gray scale

# scanimage --mode Gray -d hp:/dev/uscanner0 > /tmp/image.pnm

If this all works then you want some automation so you don't have to tell scanimage the device.

# scanimage -L
device `hp:/dev/uscanner0' is a Hewlett-Packard ScanJet 62x0C flatbed scanner

This should list your device, if it doesn't make sure you do the following commands:

# cd /usr/local/etc/sane.d
# cp -v dist/* .

Now edit the file which relates to your scanner brand

# vi hp.conf

make sure that the device is set to /dev/uscanner0 at the end of the file with the line:

/dev/uscanner0

Xsane

Install through package system if you are not going to use gimp integration

# pkg_add -r xsane

Otherwise install through ports system.

# cd /usr/ports/*/xsane;make install clean

Find your scanner with this tool

# sane-find-scanner -q

Gimp

Yet to be done.

Reference

For more information on how to configure/troubleshoot/user setup for scanners refer to the handbook: http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/scanners.html